Painted Sky
by AeroClaw
Summary: With the world spiralling out of control more and more genetically altered kids are being made. However there are those who were born with their genes. Follow Shaye as she searches for answers and friends with The Flock!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I panted heavily as another surprise rocking jostled the way to small animal carrier I was stowed in. I don't remember how I got here, but I knew for a fact that I was fuming mad. The moment I woke up I started to scream, cuss, and generally carry on hoping I would be able to get my hands around someone's neck. I took a deep breath and gave another long piercing scream. I coughed my throat raw. _'I am going to be free…'_ I yelled inwardly. My back was aching from being hunched over my legs stiff and deadened from being pressed to my chest. I let my eyes dart frantically around the dark room, but I could see everything. It looked like I had been put in a cargo room of sorts.

I identified certain items but they were of no use if I couldn't reach them. A hollow thud echoed throughout the room followed by a large rock. I cried out in shock as my carrier slid forward I retracted my finger when it smashed into a box. I moaned in pain my face had smashed right up against the steel mesh door. I jumped when something metal crashed down on the top of my prison. It bounced off and landed a foot away from me. Wincing through my pain I looked over and felt a small bud of hope bloom in my chest. I worked slowly moving my back and legs together to hop over my carrier over to the item. I panted in excitement as I put two fingers through the mesh and dragged the slim metal bar through the steel.

I laughed ironically as I fitted the bar between the top of the door and carrier, and worked the bar up until I heard plastic cracking and the door losing hold. And then the best sound in the world at the moment occurs the metal door leaps forward clattering somewhere off into the distance. I have a small victory by jamming my free hand out the entrance its short lived when my carrier slides back and slams into the opposite wall. I freeze there trying to force air back into my lungs, before I tray wriggle my way out I got a quarter of the way out before I'm stuck. I curse darkly under my breath as I scoot back in thinking quickly I try and lay as flat as I can and move outward again. This time I'm able to get out and I collapse outside groaning as I stretch out my stiff limbs relishing in the feeling of blood rushing to my appendages.

Finally the one thing I had been dying to do it actually makes me almost purr, I extend my dark wings exposing the light under side with dark markings. I stretch them up until they shake with tension as blood flows back into the primaries and secondaries. Then I sigh releasing them from their upward position to pull and extend them sideways. Finally I fold them back gently to my back and stand. Pins and needles dance under my flesh as I take two wobbly steps the tight cloth tube making it hard to walk. I freeze suddenly when I hear a latch being drawn and the creak of a metal door. The footsteps echo throughout the room, and I could distinguish three sets. A flare of a flashlight shines through the boxes as they get closer; I quickly weave my way into the maze of boxes heading towards the direction of the door.

Before I get there chaos breaks loose, the footsteps turn into dashing getting closer to me! They're shouting now in a language that escapes me but it was definitely brutal sounding. I broke cover sprinting for the door I got there first just as the three men shined their lights on me. I smirked disgustedly as I yanked the hatch door close twisting the lock tight and bending the circle into a non-turn able state. Though that effort made me dizzy, panting I turned and rushed up the steps the rocking getting worse as I moved above the levels of the ship until I came to a weather beaten door and burst out. I gasped as I was buffeted by rain and icy wind I scrambled to grab the safety rails near the door. I could barely believe my eyes we were on the ocean in the middle of a squall!

Suddenly a spot light was trained on me making me shield my eyes, and aloud booming voice spit anger at me in the foreign language. Every one of my instincts told me to run, fly, and get out of here and that's exactly what I planned. I let go of the railing rushing forward I started to let the rain and wind slice into my wings and took one leap extending them. They caught the wind immediately but they were pushing me back towards the ship. I pumped my wings hard and wheeled around facing the ship and flew low across the deck. With adrenaline surging me forward I knocked a few crew members off their feet as they took aim with guns letting the wind push me. Finally I cleared the ship and dropped low over turbulent sea rowing my wing to give me momentum. Rain stung me eyes and icy wind cut right through the cloth into my flesh making me shiver. A shot exploded near one of my wings making water splash me, they had a sharp shooter. I growled and started to move every which way I could, if I could just get some warm air I could ascend beyond their sight.

There was no hope for that so I angled upwards at an angle and pumped my wings until my muscles could have screamed. I passed through one layer of dark clouds and screamed when lightning arched over me. I struggled upward though knowing that there had to be peace above the storm clouds. I breached the final cloud layer and near cried at the beauty there. The stars glittered brightly while the moon died everything a milky lavender color. I couldn't tell if they were tears or not but I felt water drip down my chin. And for the first time in fourteen years of life, pain, and inhumanity I took a deep heavy breath of fresh air. I yelled happily as I arched my back and swooped low dragging my hand through the clouds. I giggled as I barrel rolled plastering my damp hair down.

"This is what I wanted… This is true freedom!" I yelled, moving my wings through the motions that I was born with. "I was born for this! A natural flyer!"


	2. Breaking and Entering plus Dinner

Chapter 1

I was exhausted as I grappled with my hunger to keep me aloft in the air, I was about two thousand feet up darting through clouds for cover. I need to land soon or I would fall out of the sky. I kept my eyes cast downward trying to spot land and wanted to dive towards a claws shaped island. I tucked my wings in diving low until I was parallel with the water I shot a glance upwards finding the familiar Big Dipper it was in the two o' clock position which meant it was very early. The white sands of a beach were coming up fast on me and I excitedly rowed my wings forward gaining more momentum. I stretched my feet out and they dug in deep but I stopped. I stood there a moment wings spread just letting the breeze pass over me. My knees shook and I fell ungracefully into the sand. My wings ached from flying for so long and my body weak and hot from exertion. But I was smiling broadly as I worked my fingers into the silky sand I had never felt so free. I never had been able to fly at the facility so I could say for a fact that I never intended to go back there after tasting the sky.

A deep growl made me start to climb to my feet I needed to find something to eat fast, flying consumed a lot of my energy and all my calories. I stumbled across the beach wings tucked in so I looked somewhat normal. My hair was snarled and tangled, and my eyes clear and happy. I shuffled along until it drove me crazy I grabbed the edge of the cloth tube and ripped it making it easier to walk. I made it to the sea wheat before I saw another expanse of beach and I sighed. I looked about and lights caught my eye. I turned and saw that there was a small town in the distance. I took a few running steps before taking off; if my muscles could speak they would have screamed. I nearly fell out of the sky so I stayed low my wings blending in with the dark terrain and lack of light in the sky. I landed half an hour later behind a rowdy pub where some kind of drinking song was in full riot. I tucked my wings in tightly and snuck through the back alleys of the town until I came to a residential area. I blinked a few times my vision blurry from lack of food and exhaustion. I stumbled against a small cottage with dark windows I peered in it looked like no one was home.

Although it went against my moral compass I turned towards the cottage finding the door and punched out a small window. I reached in to unlock it and was grateful they had no alarm system. I stepped inside closing the door quietly behind me I shivered at the smell of the house it was lived in and it was comfortable. I snooped around the house out of curiosity and found out a family of four lived here they had a son and a daughter. I stared at the family portrait sadly I had always wanted this kind of life. A growl from my stomach forced me to move to their kitchen, and open their fridge. I wanted to leap for joy, but I busily started grabbing containers of left overs, preservatives and condiments. It's hard to say what I ate but I knew one thing it filled me up. I breathed in a hearty sigh as I slumped down on the floor I destroyed all their food and a gallon of milk and some bitter tasting drink.

I struggled to my feet closing the door to the fridge and moving all the empty containers to the sink. But I just felt so bad eating all their food and then leaving them the dishes. I looked for soup and found something even better a dishwasher. I stacked the containers in and flipped the switch on. I shuffled out of the kitchen feeling a little dizzy and giddy, I made it over to a comfortable sofa and sat and inadvertently turned on the large thin screened television. I watched in confusion as a reporter came talking in a mellow manner in the same foreign language as the men from the ship. I got bored after a few minutes and hopped up and cautiously made my way to the bedroom of the girl. From the photos plastered over the walls I could tell she was somewhere in her late teens. Her room was a mess and I had to pick my way carefully across the various items spread across the floor.

I recoiled a bit when I stepped on something slippery and caught sight of something that looked like a latex glove. I turned quickly towards her closet suddenly feeling much more claustrophobic and uncomfortable. I dug into the clothes on the floor and found a pair of jeans a plain blue shirt and a large black hoodie. I gulped as I moved to her dresser I found the drawer with her delicates and pulled out both a bra and panties.

"This feels so wrong!" I muttered nervously, but I knew I looked absolutely wild.

I made my way down the hall to a porcelain room with a large shower, I turned it immediately to hot and the water came out like that. I quickly tore off the tube and stepped under the steaming stream shuddering. I washed myself thoroughly even spreading my wings washing the sand from them. I lathered up my hair with this red shampoo and scrubbed my skin. Reluctantly I stepped out of the shower drying myself with a towel that hung behind the door. I started to dress I wiggled into the jeans and was glad they fit. I took a small set of scissors and cut the back of the shirt and jacket for my wings. Once I pushed them through I looked at myself in the mirror. The person with the reddish brown hair and bright hazel eyes staring back looked like a stranger. I smiled at myself shaking out my short hair that naturally feathered out. Because of its shortness it dried fast and so did my wings.

I shuffled out of the bathroom moving towards the couch again, and this time when I sat I must have fallen asleep for a while because when I woke up the news reporter was frantically and excitedly talking. I started confused and frightened it must have been early because the sun was just starting to shed pale light through the windows. I scrubbed my eyes unhappily as I squinted at the television. Suddenly my blood froze when a night vision video started to play it showed me landing on the beach wings spread and me taking off again. My demeanor switched over to survival mode instantly. I had broken the one rule of the facility, I flew. Busted.


	3. Talon Drop

[2]

I sat there rooted staring at my image flashing across the screen close to every thirty seconds. I had to figure out what I wanted to do, because if I didn't decide fast I was going to be killed. I stood ever impulse in my body screaming for me to flee and avoid a fight, but I knew if I flew I would just be found out again. I was breathing shallowly now trembling slightly but not from fear but from tension. I swallowed hard and nodded I would stay and fight I didn't have to run from them. I did what any other bird person would do I flew. I moved to the kitchen needing a drink and a bite to eat. I destroyed the remnants of what was left in the fridge and decided I had outstayed my not necessarily legal welcome. I stepped outside locking the door as I did I looked around at the bright green lawns of the early morning suburbia. I frowned softly at the peacefulness feeling again that pang of want.

I shook my head I had no time for sentimentality I cracked my fingers and raised my arms above my head. I shook out my legs flinging dew from the springy grass beneath my feet; I opted for no shoes since I had already stolen this girl's clothes. I sent quick glances around checking to see if anyone was around, but it was too early for anyone to be up. I took a running start and quickly climbed into the air my wings pumping more easily than yesterday. The cool night air was already disappearing into a balmy tropical breeze making it way easier to fly. I climbed high into the clouds above the suburbia and angled towards the beach where I first landed. Tactically it was the best place for me to be either they would come by air or sea. Though on the plus side what had brewing will be hell of a show.

"Those dicks think they can keep me from my freedom? Well they got another thing coming!" I howled into the sky.

I dropped low beneath the clouds showing a massive expanse of beach below me, there were surfers already out on the water while runners jogged on by without a care. Though exactly what I what I had anticipated was there a news crew lazily setting up. A news reporter lady was carefully putting on her make-up on the other side of the news van as she rehearsed her lines. I circled slowly trying to discern if this was the right choice or not.

I sighed finally. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained…" I said breathily.

I descended in lazy spirals the equipment crew didn't notice me so I landed about ten feet away from the news reporter. Needless to say she screamed bloody murder when I looked at her. I stood there frozen eyes wide, a jogger had fallen over his eyes bugging and looking at me. The camera crew was there in an instant and they too froze mouths open, I scrunched my toes in the sand turning to them folding my wings in the reporter lady recovered from her shock shouting at the dumbfounded men as she fixed her appearance walking cautiously towards me. I forced a smile to make myself seem more approachable. And she broke into a hurried walk over to me speaking a mile a minute in the foreign language.

"I'm sorry ma'am… I don't understand what you are saying…" I said slowly and sheepishly.

She gaped at me like a fish gasping for air. "Mein gott… Sie sprechen! Beeilen sie sich mit dieser Kamera!" She shouted over her shoulder

I recognized camera from what she said and saw the two bumbling men talking in hushed tones. "Um where am I?"

"Sie spricht Englisch, übersetzen Hans!" The other man said giddily as he focused his camera lens on me.

A tall blonde man with brown eyes spoke. "Sorry…My English…rusty." He said.

I instantly brightened. "At least someone will partially understand me." I said happily.

I looked back at the jogger, and he looked terrified and fascinated at the same time. He hopped up and ran down the beach screaming the word "Engel!". Within a few minutes the reporter woman was talking excitedly to the camera looking back every few minutes to see if I was really real. The man with the long boom sparcely translated what was being said into the english to me. Apparently some of the surfers had seen me land and before I knew what was going on there was a small crowd forming around me. I felt a little claustrphobic but I kept a smile on my face. A toddler who had seen me squeezed their way towards me eyes sparkling. I looked at her cherubic face and smiled she instatly came over.

"Kann ich sehen, deine Flügel Engel?" She said giddily.

I tilted my head as the crowd started to repeat the question. "What?" I said lost in foreign language, I looked to Hans.

"They want to see... Fly." He said nervously.

"Oh..." I murmured uncertainly, but then decided why not.

Once I had given my consent I asked everyone to step back and slowly spread my wings there were gasps and sounds of amazement. The reporter was stunned into silence as the camera man panned across my wingspan. I trembled slightly feeling exposed and gave one cautionary flap of my wings. The crowd went nuts pulling out cell phones to snap pictures of me. I felt all powerful as I flapped again and suddenly moved to take a running start, the crowd parted and I took two steps and I was airborne. The crowd swelled I heard their adjulation from up in the sky I felt a dragging though and I looked at the hoodie pocket. It's strange that I didn't norice it before but there was something inside of it. I dug in and pulled out a pair of aviator goggles I actually loved the way they looked so I put them on. I had been spiralling upwards and decided it was time to show off bit.

I stopped gliding and repositioned myself and dove down towards the crowd wings tucked close to my body. I pulled up suddenly and wheeled around sharply, before dropping even lower legs strethed forward. I took a running step and I was in the air again, once I was high enough I did a barrel roll and corkscrews. The crowd grew and grew down below and as I came in for a landing I could hear everyone talking. I walked straight up to the camera lifted the goggles and spoke.

"My name is Shaye, I am a bird girl and if you who created me think you can keep me from the sky come and get me. I am not going anywhere." I felt invincible as those words came out, because they were true.

I didn't have to wait long for my response when I heard a high keening noise and saw a red dot on my shoulder. I instantly hit the ground as sand exploded up from where my shoulder had been. The crowd screamed running every which way creating chaos, I covered my head with my arms wincing through the sand flying in the air. I pulled down the goggles as the keening returned I went from laying to a full on low sprint before I rose above the keening. Though it didn't take long for it to focus again. That's when I saw it a dark van was being joined by other were amassing. I guess I should have taken into account the land troops. I moved erratcically in the air making it hard for the shooters to pin me down, but all the while getting closer. I hit the ground running barreling into the three of the shooters knocking them out clod with my wings. I tucked them in zig zagging towards the next assailant. I gave him a good right, but one grabbed me from behind I stuggled violently. I flared out my wings making him drop me. I whipped around fury driving my movements.

I tackled him pounding his face with my fists until he stopped moving, I was breathing hard. As I stood I could see a group of men, about ten of them, with riot shield postioned towards me, I glared and suddenly got a strange thought. I took in a deep breath and screamed the men crumpled gripping the sides of their heads. I coughed to a stop my throat hurting a bit. That's when I noticed there was still the van parked there unmoving suddenly someone jumped out of the driver's side. A nicely dressed man with a bald head and black sound silencing headphones on. He smiled pleaseantly and opened his mouth, I didn't give him the chance I sprinted at him yanking him by the arm and going airborne. He screamed in shock and looked up at me as I struggled to stay in the air while holding his weight. He was scrambling for his pocket and I saw a plunger. I cussed at him and swung my foot down at his hand hearing something shatter I thought it had been the needle. But his scream said otherwise I had shattered his hand that hung limp and useless. He stared at me with utter hate and horror, I dropped a few feet the ground still a long ways down. The rest of the soldiers spilled out of the vans training guns on me.

" Nicht schießen! Nicht schießen!" He yelled downwards.

I reeached down yanking off the ear muffs. "Listen you bastard, if you ever try and capture me again I will kill you. Capche'?" I snarled at him.

If looks could kill he would have had me mounted and stuffed already, but he apparently valued his pitiful life and nodded. I smiled sardonically and moved some over the water he looked at me in shock and I let go. He screamed as he plummeted towards the water like a rock I circled for a splash and laughed as he hit the water belly down. Shots rang out and I easily avoided them. Feeling light I blew kisses at the gun men wheeled and headed away from this island towards what seemed like a brighter world.

**Author's Note:**

**Okay so you probably want translastions so here they are!**

_"Mein gott… Sie sprechen! Beeilen sie sich mit dieser Kamera!"_ = "My god... She speaks! Hurry up with that camera!"

_"Sie spricht Englisch, übersetzen Hans!" = _"She speaks English, translate Hans!"

_"Kann ich sehen, deine Flügel Engel?" _= "Can I see your wings angel?"

_" Nicht schießen! Nicht schießen!" _= "Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

**There is your German to English transaltions!**


End file.
